AFRICA: The Niger Delta Avengers, a militant group that has been carrying out attacks on Nigerian oil facilities in the past few months, claimed responsibility for five new attacks in the southern energy hub since 01JUL.

AMERICAS: An Ipsos survey showed Colombians are divided on a potential peace deal between the government and the FARC rebels, amid skepticism about political participation by the guerrillas.

ASIA: China banned access to waters near the Paracel Islands, which are controlled by China but also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan, between 05JUL-11JUL to carry out military maneuvers.

EUROPE: Thirteen suspects, including 10 Turks, were charged over the Istanbul airport suicide bombings, the deadliest of several attacks to strike the country’s biggest city this year.

MIDDLE EAST:State-linked Saudi news sites are reported that a suicide bomber carried out an attack near a US diplomatic site in the Red Sea city of Jiddah.

TECHNOLOGY: China’s internet regulator will launch a crackdown on the reporting of news gathered from social media, as part of what the government calls a campaign against fake news and the spreading of rumors.

TOP STORY

United Kingdom:Nigel Farage says he is standing down as leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP).

He said the party was in a “pretty good place” and said he would not change his mind about quitting as he did after the 2015 general election.

Farage said he and other UKIP MEPs would remain in the European parliament until the UK left and the roles no longer existed.

The most likely contenders to replace him are Paul Nuttall and Stephen Wolfe.

Region: Sudan’s Ashorooq TV website reported Sudan and South Sudan agreed to extend a joint agreement on transit of humanitarian aid through Sudanese territory to the needy in the South. (Xinhua)

Libya: At least two people were killed and seven wounded in a nighttime car bomb attack targeting a security chief in Benghazi. (AFP)

Nigeria: The Niger Delta Avengers, a militant group that has been carrying out attacks on oil facilities in the past few months, claimed responsibility for five new attacks in the southern energy hub since 01JUL. (Reuters)

AMERICAS

Region: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded USD25 million to help 53 states, cities, and territories protect Americans from the Zika virus infection and associated adverse health problems, including birth defects. (UPI)

Region: The Panamanian Public Ministry said Colombian Hernando Velez Uribe, the head of the Latin American Confederation of Savings and Credit Cooperatives, or Colac, was found dead inside a vehicle submerged in the Chagres River in this capital. (EFE)

Colombia: An Ipsos survey showed Colombians are divided on a potential peace deal between the government and the FARC rebels, amid skepticism about political participation by the guerrillas. (Reuters)

ASIA

Region: China banned access to waters near the Paracel Islands, which are controlled by China but also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan, between 05JUL-11JUL to carry out military maneuvers. (EFE)

Australia: With the government in chaos amid a dramatic national election that failed to deliver an immediate winner, the country’s opposition leader called for the prime minister to resign, dubbing him “the David Cameron of the southern hemisphere.” (AP)

Japan: A government source said the Japanese and US governments agreed to narrow the extent to which American citizens can be granted preferential treatment under a bilateral pact governing jurisdiction over US military personnel and base workers. (Kyodo)

Thailand: A spokesman for the military government said they set up security centers around the country ahead of a 07AUG referendum on a new constitution. (Reuters)

EUROPE

Poland: The country introduced random border controls to ensure security at this month’s NATO summit in Warsaw and Pope Francis’ meeting with world youths in the south. (AP)

Serbia: Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic told a German newspaper that Serbia would not hold a referendum on whether or not to join the European Union, which Belgrade hopes to do in 2020. (Reuters)

Turkey: Thirteen suspects, including 10 Turks, were charged over the Istanbul airport suicide bombings, the deadliest of several attacks to strike the country’s biggest city this year. (AFP)

MIDDLE EAST

Region: The Riyadh-led coalition fighting the insurgents said Saudi Arabia intercepted a ballistic missile that Yemeni rebels fired towards the kingdom’s southern city of Abha. (AFP)

Region: The Israeli military says it hit a pair of Syrian military positions after stray fire from the neighboring country’s civil war landed in Israeli territory. (AP)

Saudi Arabia: State-linked Saudi news sites are reported that a suicide bomber carried out an attack near a US diplomatic site in the Red Sea city of Jiddah. (AP)

Syria: Turkey proposed cooperating with Moscow to combat Islamic State in Syria, suggesting it could open its Incirlik Air Base to Russia – comments that highlighted a revival in ties strained by Turkey’s shooting down of a Russian warplane last year. (Reuters)

TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATIONS

Social Media: China’s internet regulator will launch a crackdown on the reporting of news gathered from social media, as part of what the government calls a campaign against fake news and the spreading of rumors. (Reuters)